Wednesday, 6th June, 2007, Irish postal workers represented by the Communications Workers’ Union are taking part in a Europe wide day of action – including work stoppages – in protest against the European Commission’s proposals for postal market liberalisation. The action has been called by UNI-Europa Post and Logistics and is expected to affect at least 300 European cities.

Speaking about the day of action, Sean McDonagh, National Officer, CWU said “We are joining with our colleagues throughout Europe to highlight our complete and utter objection to the European Commission’s current proposals to fully open up the postal markets to competition. If introduced without any safeguards, these proposals will lead to the destruction of the Universal Services Obligation which ensures all citizens get daily deliveries at a uniform price.  The Commission directive in its current format would remove all protections from traditional postal operators by January 1, 2009 but makes no provision for funding to secure a universal postal service at an affordable price to all customers wherever they live.

“Furthermore, we are deeply disturbed by the findings of research conducted by PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PWC) on behalf of the Commission which studied the possible implications of the full market opening of postal services in 2009. The study comes to the conclusion that the different working conditions between the incumbent operators and the new service providers can lead to a distortion of competition. Our concern is that any further steps aimed at opening up the market could have significant consequences on jobs in the postal sector.

“We are therefore joining our colleagues throughout Europe in demanding that the Postal Services Directive require all Member States to effectively ban any form of competition based on wage and social dumping in the letter post sector and to authorise new service providers only if they respect the working and pay standards of the sector. Competition for the sake of competition is not the correct way forward and we are calling on the European Ministers, and in particular our own Minister for Communications, Marine & Natural Resources, Noel Dempsey TD, to reject the Commission’s proposals,” he concluded.

“Ten years of postal liberalisation in Europe have so far meant fewer post offices, fewer postal outlets, fewer mail boxes and longer distances to access the post,” added UNI-Europa’s John Pedersen. “For workers in the postal sector it has meant fewer jobs, more precarious employment and downward competition on wages - wage dumping. All this has been contrary to EU promises.”

Postal unions - through UNI-Europa Post & Logistics – are today demanding that the Commission provide evidence on how a postal service for all citizens (urban and rural) and its financing can be secured and to provide evidence of more jobs and quality employment.
The Unions are collectively calling for:
• A three year postponement to the Commission’s timetable.
• More research and evidence from the Commission.
• New proposals that secure sustainable postal services for all and decent employment.

For Further Information:

Note to Editors:

• Only when the conditions of market access are the same should further steps to open the market be considered:
  Different conditions of market access and the complexity of the market opening process must be harmonised via an active regulatory policy at the EU level before any new steps are taken to open the European postal market further. Only then will a suitable point have been reached securing the ground for further market opening.
• Market opening should take place only when it can be done in a harmonised manner across the EU:
  In order to avoid a distortion of competition it is important to ensure that measures are implemented simultaneously and in an uniform manner in all Member States. Equal conditions must be created for market liberalisation so that postal operators have the same opportunities.
• There should be no deterioration in the postal universal service.
  Bearing in mind that in some Member States the postal service has always assumed important social and infrastructure responsibilities, the development and functioning of the whole European single market and of social Europe depends on the quality of postal universal services.
• The sustainable financing of the postal universal service must be guaranteed.
  An effective mechanism must be found to guarantee and secure the financing of the universal service. Until now, that guarantee was provided by a reserved area which has been gradually eroded. To date, no other method of financing has been shown to function. A deterioration in the universal service as a means of reducing costs is a step in the wrong direction.

Ends/